Kawann Short: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation on Panthers DT's Future

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short is looking at a trip to the free-agent market in March after his four-year, $4.6 million deal expired following the 2016 season. 

Continue for updates.

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Panthers Likely to Franchise-Tag Short

Thursday, Feb. 2

On Thursday, head coach Ron Rivera said on ESPN's NFL Insiders (via Adam Schefter) that the team will probably have to put the franchise tag on Short in order to retain him. 

The defensive tackle celebrated his 28th birthday Thursday, but he is coming off a 2016 season in which he saw his production drop. 

Granted, the entire Panthers franchise experienced a down year after representing the NFC in Super Bowl 50. 

Following a 2015 season in which he posted a career-high 11 sacks, Short had just six this year. Still, it is the second-most quarterback takedowns he's had in a single season since his NFL debut in 2013.

Regardless, the 6'3", 299-pound pass-rusher is still one of the most highly touted prospective unrestricted free agents, as he was ranked fourth by NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, who noted the Panthers have invested a lot into him.

"General manager Dave Gettleman unceremoniously booted cornerback Josh Norman last offseason, in theory because the team needed room to retain Short. Now it's time to pay up," Rosenthal wrote.

Short's view on signing a tag has been skewed recently. On Jan. 2, he told Black and Blue Review that if he was tagged, he would "most likely" sign quickly. 

But later that same day, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that Short "won’t be quickly signing the franchise tag," and if a long-term deal isn't signed before July 15, he could sit out the entire 2017 season.

While the Panthers might tag Short in the near future, long-term contractual drama could be on the agenda for a majority of this offseason. 

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.